Sep. 13, 2012

A visitor goes feet-first into Bull Shoals Lake after jumping off a rock ledge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discourages people from jumping off cliffs into their lakes, especially with fluctuating water levels, though there are no rules against it. / Wes Johnson/News-Leader

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It’s an Ozarks tradition that goes back decades — taking a flying leap off a cliff into Table Rock or Bull Shoals lake.

But a recent Get Outdoors story in the News-Leader, about a kayak trip to Bull Shoals that included a photo of a man jumping off a bluff into the lake, prompted a cautionary phone call from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the lake.

Cliff jumping is not against the law, Bull Shoals lake manager John Hiser says, but it’s a risky activity that has caused deaths in the past. In June 2007, two southwest Missouri teens died and another man was seriously injured in separate bluff-jumping incidents, according to a previous News-Leader story.

In July 2005, the Missouri Water Patrol issued a statewide warning after recording nearly a half-dozen deaths related to area bluff-jumping in a two-month period.

“We’re glad to get Bull Shoals some recognition, but we don’t want to encourage it (cliff jumping),” Hiser said. “We know there are spots that people traditionally jump from. The problem is there is no guarantee it will be safe to jump, especially when the water is low.”

He said there have been “many, many injuries” caused when people misjudge the distance and hit rocks below, or strike a ledge or object in the water.

According to Corps lake regulations, people are prohibited from jumping off any structure, tree or bridge.

He cautioned that the water level of Bull Shoals Lake fluctuates much more significantly than at Table Rock Lake.

“Bigger fluctuations mean that what was safe water a month ago may not be safe now,” he said.

A rock shelf or ledge that was well below the surface when the lake was higher would be much closer to the surface as the lake drops. Someone who made a successful jump when water was higher could potentially hit an obstruction when the water level is low, Hiser said.

Though the Corps discourages cliff jumping, Hiser said he recognizes people will still do it. He emphasized he was not endorsing the practice, but offered some common-sense suggestions for anyone who decides to jump from a cliff.

• Don’t jump off a ledge that’s higher than your height. A cliff jumper’s speed accelerates rapidly the higher the leap. Hiser says it’s difficult to judge distance — both vertically and horizontally — from the top of a bluff.

• Don’t consume alcohol while on or near the water. Alcohol impairs judgment and increases the risk of serious injury or fatality if consumed before jumping from a cliff.

“The rule of thumb is there’s not really any safe way to do it,” Hiser added.

How fast do you hit the water?

Jumpers can reach considerable speeds leaping from area bluffs, many of which rise 30 feet or more above the water. At 10 feet, a jumper hits the water at 17 mph; at 20 feet, 25 mph; at 30 feet, 30 mph; at 40 feet, 35 mph; at 50 feet, 38 mph. Source: USDA Forest Service Click on this story at News-Leader.com/Outdoors to find a link to our 2007 story about the dangers of bluff-jumping.